Chicago P.D. Season 13 Premiere Recap: Voight Fights Back After Unit Shutdown

In the season opener, we jump right into the chaos of the team being split up from the aftermath of last season and the dirty Deputy Chief that got the intelligence unit shut down. Atwater and Ruzek are back on patrol, doing the beat cop thing, while Torres and Burgess? Yeah, they don’t even have their badges anymore. Meanwhile, Voight is the only one officially on active cases, and he’s juggling catching cases in progress while pushing hard to get the Intelligence Unit back on its feet.

Remember, last season ended with that dirty deputy chief scandal, so the higher-ups aren’t exactly thrilled about reinstating the unit. Now here’s where it gets interesting: the ATF is actually running the big gun case, tracking down this gun runner called Raptor who’s flooding the streets with weapons, including a Draco mini that killed a man and a 75-year-old grandmother. Voight was trying to help her grandson. It’s brutal stuff. Voight is helping out but doing it kind of under the radar. The powers that be don’t want the Intelligence Unit back officially, so he’s bringing some of his team in off the books, keeping it quiet so no one can shut them down before they get the job done.

When they finally hit Raptor’s hideout, the stuff they find is wild. Boxes and boxes of guns from all over, gun shows, manufacturers, even gun stores all across the country. And get this: many of these guns were issued to CPD officers but never reported stolen. So, these weapons meant to protect the city ended up on the streets and were used to kill innocent people. That’s a huge blow, and it really shines a light on how broken the system is when the department itself isn’t reporting lost or stolen weapons. Voight’s frustration here is palpable and he knows this isn’t just about one bad guy, it’s a system failing.

Voight’s determination is clear as he works to get his team back officially reinstated. Even though they’re doing the work covertly, they need the full authority and support to take down dangerous criminals like Raptor. There’s a moment where he lays it all out,  how the ATF is tracking every gun tied to the case, but the CPD’s failure to report stolen guns undermines everything. He’s basically saying, “If the system won’t protect the city, I will.”

The episode hits hard when they start naming the victims linked to Raptor’s guns: George Malkin, Javon Dyer, Anthony Rodriguez, Cody Rodriguez, Con Williams, and Agie Montcovery. These aren’t just numbers or stats, they were real people, taken by weapons that slipped through the cracks. It makes you realize what’s at stake beyond the gun runner chase.

By the end, Voight wins the fight to get his squad back. The unit is reinstated, and it’s clear this isn’t just about paperwork or authority but it’s about having a team that works, that fights for the city when the system won’t. They’re finally back together, ready to face whatever comes next.

Overall, this episode doesn’t just show a manhunt for a gun runner,  it digs into the frustrating politics and bureaucracy of policing, the real-life consequences of systemic failure, and the fight to keep a team alive that actually makes a difference. It’s gritty, it’s emotional, and it leaves you rooting hard for Voight and his crew.

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